ROBBERY OF NESTS 173 



Blackbirds which breed hereabout, building on 

 the ground. About the beginning of June the 

 tall grass and nettles are cut down ; the nests are 

 then sadly exposed, and the sorrow of the parent 

 birds is pitiable to take notice of, for the men who 

 mow this grass take every egg and young bird 

 which they can find. 



Last spring I was standing near a nest in a 

 hedge, containing four young Thrushes almost 

 ready to leave, when two of the little things fell 

 out on to the other side, and a dog, which was 

 some distance off, on seeing what had happened, 

 rushed at the two young birds and killed them. 

 One of the parent Thrushes flew at the dog and 

 almost struck it while flying past ; it then flew to 

 me and settled on the ground at my feet, as if 

 imploring me to do something. The cries of both 

 birds were distressing to hear when they saw two 

 of their young thus done to death. I took charge 

 of the other two, and after the dog had been called 

 off I placed them back in their nest ; but on 

 passing later both were gone. 



Out of about sixteen nests of Thrushes and 

 Blackbirds, containing their full complement of 

 eggs, that T have known of in one spring, only 

 four were actually reared. This wholesale robbery 

 is carried on chiefly by those men and boys who 



